Neutral brake



Parental Mu. 1, 1927. y

UNITED STATES' maar n. wATnns, or onmToN, IowA, AssIeNoB. T

rm, or cLmToN,TowA,.A conronATroN or DELAWARE A NEUTRAL BRAKE.

PATaN'r'y OFFICE.

O CLIMAX ENGINEERING COM- Appnegtinale'a' octaber 5, 1925. serial No.c0367.

This invention relates toa neutral locking brake for planetary reversingpulleys, trans,-

mission, or hoisting drums; and more particularly to the use of aneutral brake together with suitable linkages whereby ahead,

reverse and `neutral clutches or brakes are operated u nder unitarycontrol in properly tlmed relationship.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improvement in reversingclutch pulleys or cab is secured through planetaryv gearing of the spur.or bevel type by clamping the spider drums wherein there will be norotation. ofv the final drive pulley or drum. This is espe-- cially truewhen there is only a light'load on the pulley or drum, because of theinherent fr; friction of the planetary gearing which is in motion whenthe pulley or drum -is idle. 4

It is also an object of this invention to provide a brake on the pulleyor-drum itself which is actuated by t e same lever which `operatesthe-forward and reverse clutches I thus placing complete control ofthemecha.-

nism under one lever. y A

It is a further object of this invention to provide a device of theclass described' having a self locking arrangement for the brakeinvention mechanism adapted to securely lock the transmission or hoistl' in neutral withk the' brake engaged.

Other and further important objects of this invention will be apparentfrom the disclosures inthe specification and drawings.

The invention (in'a preferred form) is illustrated in the drawings andhereinafter more fully described.

. `On the drawings:

`Figure lis a `side elevation of a reversing transmission'embodying thefeatures of this Fig.' 2 is a detailed fragmentary 'section' showing theneutral brake engaging and locking mechanism; and

e drums, in which the reverse rotation' Fig. 3 is a section on the lineyIII- III of Figure 2 showing the interconnected control mechanism forthe -forward and reverse clutches and neutral brake.

As shown on the drawings:

The planetary reversing mechanism perse is well known so that the gearinhas'been omitted vfrom the drawing for t e sake of clearness'. A frame10 is provided with suitan outboard pulley 13 adapted to be drivenl byany suitable prime mover. The live shaft carries a clutch 14 shown inthe'drawing as able journals 11 for a live-shaft 12 carrying ,f ef' ashoe clutch having centrifugal wei hts 15 l on the sleeve 16 which iskeyed to an slides to the left to contractf the shoes 17, the weightsbeing provided to counteract centrifugal action of the shoes and topermit a smooth and gradual decrease in the slip as the clutch picks upthe load. The clutch shoes engage on a suitable rim 18 on a drum orpulley 19 which is free on the'` live shaft. A brake band drum 20 isprovided alongside the clutch rim 18' for the neutral brake of thisinvention. A spider 21 is also reel and separately mounted on thelivesha t alongside the pulley drum 19 and -carries planetary reversingearing meshing withy suitable gearing 'within the pulley or drum 19.The periphery of thel spider forms a brake drum 22 for the reversingbrake band 23, clamping of this brakey band while the clutch visdisengaged from' the pulley 19 serves to drive the pulley in the reversedirection. This above described planetary 'reversing transmission, iswell known and is extensively used in marine reverse gears and` invarious industrial applications, the presrods 26 pass, these rod/s'being connected at 27 to levers 28 pivoted at 29 and carrying rollers'30at' their lower ends, said rollers engaging a cam 31 pivotedtherebetween.

comprising a pair of angles' The cam is preferably in theiform of,anellipse with small semicircles A32 cut'out on the major axis toreceive the rollers 30 when fthe brake is engaged, thus forming alocking engagement `therewith which serves to hold the"` operatingmechanism without attention from the operator. The brake band isretracted when released by means of .the springs 33. vThis operatingstructure-may be conveniently mountedon a cross frame 34 with'thepivqted levers 28 mounted therebetween, the carri being pivoted on ablock 35 secured bel itween the angles and forming a spacer therefor. Itis of course apparent that a toggle operating mechanism of any wellknown form' might be used` in connection with the reversing band in lieuof the cam mechanism just described.

The operating mechanism interconnectinv the reverse brake cam 36 withthe neutra Abrake cam 31 and the clutch shifting lever 37 comprises asingle lever 38 connected to the arm 39 of' a bell crank pivotedat 40 bythe push and pull rod 41. On'the arm 39` intermediate the rod 4l and thepivot of the bell crank,a short connecting rod 42 leads to a-`crank 43secured to the reverse brake cam 36, whichA is operated to engage andlock the reverse brake band by a clockwise motion about its pivot inFigure 3. The tip of the second arm 44 of the bell crank is connected bythe link-45 to a crank 46 secured to the neutral brake cam 31.` The arm44 of the bell crank also has a connecting rod 47 pinned theretointermediate its length and serving to operate the clutchshifting vlever37. The particular point of attachmentis so' chosen that in thepositionshown rod 42 for the reverse brake,

in Figure 3 the clutch is disengaged and a like remark applies to thelocation of the the neutral brake being shown in engaged positionwherein the rollers Soon the levers 28 drop back slightly into therecesses provided in;

the cam. This slight loosening of the brake band does not release thebrake for the reason that the coeilicient of friction at rest is greaterthan when there is relative motion between the brake band and the drumso that the slight slackening simply relieves the maximum stress in thebrake mechanism rwithout reducing the holding power ofthe position fordirect forward drive of the pnl- -stop the driven means when This same"ley or drum.' The reverse of the above de scribedoperation'first disenages the direct K drive clutch and next app ies' the neutral brake tobring the drum or pulley to a -full stop before engaging. the reversebrakeA by a further movement of the lever 38 which at the same timereleases the neutral'brake.`

The neutral brake thus assists very mate-- rially in bringing thepulley, and the mechanism driven therefrom, to a quick stop, thusAexpediting reversal with less strain and wear on the forward clutch andthe reverse brake band.

The brake mechanism itself affords a z greatly simplifiedY structurethat is readily adjustable, as both the spring tension for 1retractingthe brake linkage and the brake it self are adjustable to suit theoperati-ng conditions, The brake band asa whole is self wrapping andequally eilicient in either direction of motion so thatilittle force isrequired to operate the cam and the notches Y'therein need not be deepto assure a positive lock in brake set position.

Iam aware that many changes may be made and numerous details ofconstruction may be variedthrough a-wide range without departing fromzthe principles of this invention and therefore do not purpose limitingthe patent, 'granted thereon otherwise than necessitated by the priorart. f

I claim as myvinventon:

l. In a 'device of the class described in?l cluding a driving means anda final drlven imeans,

l a direct drive and .a reversing drive therebetween, a neutral brakeadapted to one-drive to the other and a singleoperating mechanisminterconnecting the direct and reverse driving mechanisms and neutralbrake whereby the application of the neutral brake is automaticallyperformed by a shift from one driving means to the other.

2. In a reversing drive, in combination with the direct and reverseengaging mechanisms, a neutral brake and operating mechanism thereforeinterconnected with the direct and reverse engaging mechanisms wherebythe neutral brake'will be applied intermediate the shift from the drivein one direction to the other.

3. A.transmission including a live shaft, a

shifting from drum thereon, a direct drive clutch between saidshaft anddrum, a reverse drive'for said drum,

applying said brake when shifting from one drive to the other and meansfor automatically locking said brake in the engaged position whereinboth drives aredisengaged;

4. In a device of the class described iny a brakeassociated with saiddrum,.

means for automatically cluding a 'driving means and a final drivenmeansa direct drive and a reversing drive therebetween, a neutral brakeadapted to stop the drivenmeans'when shifting from.

one drive to theI other and-means for auto-.

matieally locking said brake in the engaged position 'wherein bothdrives are disengaged.

5. In :traversing drive, in combination Y the neutral brake will beapplied intermediate the shift from the drivev in one direction to theother an'dn'leans for automatically locking said brake in the engagedposition wherein both drives are disengaged.

l6. In a device of theclass described including forward and reversemechanisms and a neutral brake, means adapted' for sequem the brake willbe applied during i Acluding forward and reverse mechanisms and aneutral brake, 'means adapted for lsequential operationof the'meehanismsand brake vwhereby the brake will be lapplied `during the shift fromonemeehanism to the other,

and means adapted to automatically hold said neutral brake in" engagedposition with both drive mechanisms disengaged.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed myname.

inni-,RYv H. WATERS.

